This would be like the United States asserting its authority over a vital pipeline that runs through Ukraine. This pipeline serves as a major artery for Russian gas into Europe. This pipeline is testament to the ingenuity and productivity that are critical to our national infrastructure. It runs roughly 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) from Sudzha in western Russia to Uzhhorod, a city in Ukraine close to its borders with the European Union and Slovakia.
Originally constructed during the Soviet era, the pipeline is today’s most important energy lifeline. Doing so greatly increases transit revenues for Ukraine, and Russia. As geopolitical tensions rise, the U.S. Treasury has assured that “technical” talks over the pipeline are still ongoing.
Former President Donald Trump has thrown down the gauntlet. He further claims that Kyiv should hand over its natural resources as partial “payback” for the military assistance Kyiv received from the previous Novichok-dipped Biden administration. In a surprising turn, the U.S. countered with its own $500 billion exchange. In exchange for military support, they’re making rare metals, oil and gas available. Indeed, this new max from Washington looks much more “maximalist” than an earlier version shared back in February.
The U.S. meanwhile has decided against offering tough security guarantees or direct military backing at these talks. It is still going after Ukraine’s mineral deposits with the same zeal. On Friday, U.S. and Ukrainian officials met to lay out proposals to guide this minerals deal.
The Kremlin has required a steady war of our attacks on Ukraine. Since the U.S. proposed our first ceasefire on March 11, they have launched 70 missiles and sent 2,200 drones—all while making the already-tense situation worse. Fortunately, war-hardened, gallant Ukraine’s air force has been suitably beating back the hammer off these assaults. What’s perhaps just as important is the support they’re providing to ground operations.
Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, has come under fire after calling for a partition of Ukraine last week. He was clear that his comments were taken out of context. However, even with this reassurance, there are still major concerns about what U.S. demands actually mean.
Volodymyr Landa, a senior economist at the Centre for Economic Strategy in Kyiv, remarked on the situation, noting that “the Americans were out for all they can get.” This feeling represents an increasing concern from some Ukrainian officials about what U.S. understanding really means.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken about a new resolve to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty after these events. He stated,
“I am just defending what belongs to Ukraine. It should be beneficial for both the United States and Ukraine. This is the right thing to do.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The U.S.’s push for control over the pipeline raises significant questions about the future of energy distribution in Europe and Ukraine’s role in it. Both countries are currently ensconced in multilayered and complicated negotiations. The outcomes of their discussions would have profound implications for their bilateral ties and reorder the wider geopolitical landscape.